Port Elizabeth anglers rescued at Cape Recife after being cut off by high tide

Three Port Elizabeth anglers will forever be grateful to National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) sea rescuers after they were cut off from the mainland by high tide while fishing at the Cape Recife lighthouse on Thursday afternoon.

According to Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander, at 15h12, the NSRI Port Elizabeth duty crew were activated following a request for assistance from 3 anglers reporting to be fishing from rocks at the lighthouse.

"NSRI Port Elizabeth dispatched our sea rescue vehicle with NSRI rescue swimmers and Coastal Water Rescue were activated and their rescue swimmers were dispatched," he said.

"On arrival on the scene Coastal Water Rescue rescue swimmers waded and swam the approximately 100 meters from mainland to reach the three local fishermen on the rocks, across rough terrain and strong currents, and found all three men in good spirits, safe, not injured, and all three men were willing and able to swim across the channel to reach mainland.

"The concern was that the unusually high tide, brought on by the 26th April New Moon Spring Tide, may swamp the rocks that they were fishing from and it was correct that they called rescue before trying to swim across the channel unassisted and they are commended for calling for assistance."

Gray said that in three relays, the rescue swimmers assisted each of the fishermen to get across the channel, the first section was swum across and then they were able to wade the rest of the way and all three men were able to swim and wade across without incident accompanied by the rescue swimmers.

"They left their fishing gear behind and will fetch the gear when the tide retreats.

"Once safely ashore, no further assistance was required," he said.

"They have respectfully requested that their names are not published in the media."

Image: By NSRI Port Elizabeth - A Coastal Water Rescue rescue swimmer and an NSRI rescue swimmer emerge from the water after the rescue. The rocks can be seen in the background.